Self-inflating life preserver



May 24, 1938. E. T. CHRISTOPHER ET AL 2,118,155

SELF INFLATINGLIFE PRESERVER v Filed June 15, 1956 INVENTOR. 350M450 Ovw/sro /rifi Patented May24, 1938 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE aliases saw-mm'rmc LIFE msaavaa Edward '1. Christopher and Hugh E. Murray, Denver, Colo., assignorsto The Lifegard 00., Inc., a corporation of Colorado Application June 15, 1936, Serial No. 85,247

3 Claims. This invention relates toa self-inflating life 'pr'eserver, and has for its'principal object, the

. detail construction of the invention, which-is designed for simplicity, ebonomy, and efllciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

Inthe following detailed description of the 35 invention reference is bad to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:- Y

Fig. 1 illustrates the device as it would appear in use. I

i Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the complete, deflated preserver. V

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section therethrough.

Fig. 41s a cross section taken on the line H, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail section through the head of the pressure bottle, which is employed for inflating the preserver.

The invention comprises an envelope l0 formed of flexible expansible, sheet rubber or similar material. The envelope I8 is preferably formed with accordion pleated sides as illustrated so as to provide a maximum expansion area and so 35 that it will lie flat when not in use. The envelope I 0 terminatesin flat end t abs I l The end tabs H may be provided with any suitable fasteningdevices, such as loops, safety pins, clasps, etc. As illustrated, they are provided t 40 with elongated belt loops II of the safety pin type 50 Jects. If the tip it is broken from the plug II,

the solid or liquid gas within the bottle M will expand through the broken tip and inflate the envelope ill to the position of Fig. 2.

The-bottle may be allowed to. lie within the 55 envelope and the used can grasp it through the envelope with a single hand, allowing the thumb to break the tip it therefrom. This method, however, provides no protection for the'tip and the latter may become accidentally broken. It is preferred to definitely position the bottle in 5 the envelope so that it may be readily located by the user so as to facilitate the breaking of the tip and provide protection for the tip against accidental breaking, and to protect the envelope from the broken tip. 10 This may be accomplished in many ways. One method of accomplishing it is illustrated in Fig.

, 3, in which a flexible receiving socket I1 is cemented or otherwise secured to the inner wall of the envelope. This socket is formed with a narrow neck portion I8 which grips the plug I5 after the tip l6 has been inserted therein. The socket is formed with an internal expansion chamber I9 which communicates with the interior of the envelope through a discharge port 20. The socket is formed of relatively heavy flexible rubber or similar material. 7

It has been found that if the tip I6 is broken against the side of the envelope, the rapid expension of the escaping gas will freeze the rubber of the'envelope at this point, and the expanding gas will blow the frozen portion from place, thereby puncturing the envelope. By inserting the plug into the socket l1, however, the preliminary expansion takes place in the protected expansion chamber, thence flows to the interior of the bag through the opening 20 away from the bag walls so that all danger of freezing is eliminated.

The user can easily feel the bottle through the walls of the bag, and by bending it at this point can break the tip l6 within the expansion chamber. The chamber also serves to protect the envelope from puncture against the rough edges of the broken tip.

If the envelope is formed by a dipping process or by the anode or rubber plating process, it is necessary to have an internal form in the envelope and means for supporting this form. The latter means forms an opening in the envelope. It is desirable to use this opening by forming a neck 2| thereon which can be tied by means of a wire clip, rubber band or other device to seal the envelope. The neck'2l provides access for inserting the bottles I and for renewing these bottles if desired.

Any suitable highly compressed gas or liquid or solid form may be used in the bottle M. It is preferred, however, to have the plug .licrimped into the extremity of the bottle as shown at 22 as in Fig. 5. Before the plug is positioned therein,

solid carbon dioxide is forced into the bottle. v The plug is then immediately crimped into position. This prevents the gas from expandingand retains it in its original solid or liquid form.

When the tip I6 is broken the pressure is re-l leased and the solid or liquid gas immediately becomes gaseous. It is preferred to form the plug l5 and the tip iii of a relatively brittle friable material such as die cast pos metal, hard rubber, glass, etc. so that it may be vreadilybroken but will not bend.

While a speciflc form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims,

without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:-

1. A self-inflating life preserver comprising: a flexible envelope; a hollow receiving member secured to the inner wall of said envelope and provided with an expansion chamber; a container for fluid under pressure; a plug projecting from said container; a breakable tip projecting from said plug; and means on, said receiving member for gripping said plug so that said tip will extend into said expansion chamber, there beng a port for the release of gas from said her into said envelope.

2. In a self inflating life preserver comprising an expansible gas tight container in which is 35 positioned a container for fluid under pressure having a frangible tip foreflecting'a release of its contents, means for allowinga bending strain to be placed on said tip for breaking the latter and also protecting saidcontainer from the cooling effect of the sudden expansion of the gas released from the pressure container, comprising: aflexible, hollow-"protecting member attached at one end to the container and providedq-with an internal expansion chamber, the frangible tip extending into said chamber, whereby a flexing of the protecting member will serve to break the tip and release the inflating medium into said expansion chamber, there being a passage i'rom said chamber to the interior of said container.

: tainer from the chilling effect of the quickly released'pressure, said flexible protecting member being secured to said pressure bottle at its one extremity and having a passage in its wall forthe emape of gas therefrom.

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noon 1:. MURRAY. 

